Incredible story, utterly heartbreaking yet also hopeful and inspiring. The main character, Maisie, returns to her hometown after being gone for years and reconnects with her estranged friends. All of them are women in their forties and fifties, mature and intriguing, and the kind of main characters I didn’t know I needed but absolutely loved. Their friendship is truly the heart of the story, and we get to know all of them, though the focus is mostly on Maisie and what brought her back to Beach Cove. Maisie is a fascinating character, very complex and well-written, strong and fragile both. My heart just broke as I discovered what she’s gone through, and even more so when she finally gets the answers she’s been looking for. Near the end, I cried, just overwhelmed with emotion. The writing is evocative, and the characters are nuanced and feel very genuine. My interest was definitely piqued by the glimpses we got into the lives of Maisie’s friends, so I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.